Channeling conveyor

ABSTRACT

A channeling Conveyor is configured with a plurality of plaks slidably mounted on rods and moving in a continuous loop, and a cam track bed positioned within the loop has a number of V-shaped track levels. The plaks selectively engage the cam tracks to provide a sequential channeling of the plaks in a continuous manner. An input conveyor feeds items to the plaks and an output means positioned at the end of the conveyor receives the conveyed items in a serial manner across the width of the conveyor. A speed control is coupled to the loop drive to time the speed of the channeling conveyor to the received input items.

United States Patent [1'91 Tobey et al.

[451 Nov. 13, 1973 CHANNELING CONVEYOR [75] lnventors: Hubert E. Tobey,Milltown; John W. Hood, East Brunswick; Dee L. Irvin, Moonachie, all ofNJ.

[73] Assignee: International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation,Nutley, NJ.

[22] Filed: Apr. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 248,570

[52] US. Cl. 198/31 AA [51] Int. Cl. B65g 47/26 [58] Field of Search198/31 AA, 31 AB, 198/66, 34

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,493,942 l/l950 Bingham198/31 AA 2,980,231 4/1961 Mahaffy 198/31 AA 3,511,357 5/1970 Vanderfoof198/31 AB 3,519,108 7/1970 Webb 198/34 A 3,677,389 7/1972 Benatar 198/31AB 3,424,293 l/l969 Deutschlander 198/34 Primary ExaminerEdvvard A.Sroka AttorneyC. Cornell Remsen, Jr. et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A channeling Conveyor is configured with a plurality ofplaks slidably mounted on rods and moving in a continuous loop, and acam track bed positioned within the loop has a number oflV-shaped tracklevels.

The plaks selectively engage the cam tracks to provide a sequentialchanneling of the plaks in a continuous manner. An input conveyor feedsitems to the plaks and an output means positioned at the end of theconveyor receives the conveyed items in a serial manner across the widthof the conveyor. A speed control is coupled to the loop.drive to timethe speed of the channeling conveyor to the received input items.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CHANNELING CONVEYOR CROSS REFERENCE TORELATED APPLICATION This application is related to the copendingapplication of H. E. Tobey et al -3-2, Ser. No. 248,319, filed Apr. 27,I972. The assignee of-the instant application is the same as that in thereferenced application. Insofar as the referenced application isnecessary for an understanding of the overall operation of thisinvention it is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In general this invention relates to aconveying device, and more particularly to a channel conveying device inwhich items centrally coupled to the input of the conveyor in singlefile, are dispensed at the conveyor output in a sequential channelingmanner across the width of the conveyor. I

As described in the foregoing cross referenced application, thechanneling conveyor is positioned in an inline system and adapted totransfer pies produced by the pie forming apparatus to the cookingarrangement. In other words, the channeling conveyor required accordingto the invention must be designed to handle pies produced by the formingapparatus and received in a single line fashion on the order of 80pieces per minute, and able to dispense these pies to a fryer typecooker, such that the pies-are lined in an oblique file across the widthof the fryer rather than in single in-line fashion. This is necessary inorder that the most economical use may be made of the fryer by havingthe pies grouped in a line while being cooked,- rather than in a singleline fashion one at a time. p

The channeling conveyors value as a pie channeling conveyor for theapparatus disclosed in the cross referenced application will be clearlyevident by reading the following description of the preferredembodiment, but in addition other uses for this conveyor will be readilyappreciated by those skilled in the art who desire to variously positionitems traveling in a single line for handling by automatic equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention toprovide a channeling conveyor in which items received in a single linemanner are conveyed across the width of the conveyor in a continuouschanneling manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a channeling conveyorwhich meets the requirements for use with automatic pie apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide a timing device to timethe operation of the channeling conveyor to that of the received itemsto be conveyed.

According to the broader aspects of the invention there is provided aconveying means including a frame mounted cam track bed having V-shapedpyramiding stepped camming surfaces, a plurality of plaks mounted tomove in a continuous loop about said track bed in a directioncorresponding to said V-shaped surfaces, and each of the plaks having apair of pins positioned therein, one pin following the side of aselected one camming surface and the other pin riding on said onesurface, whereby the plaks dispense items in a continuous serial manneracross the output of said track bed.

According to a feature of the invention a speed control means is coupledbetween a drive shaft of said channeling conveyor and a drivearrangement of the input means to said conveyor, such that the speed ofthe plaks is controlled to match the input speed of the 7 items to beconveyed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In addition to the foregoing, otherobjects and features of the invention will become apparent if referenceis made to the description of the preferred embodiment read inconjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the channeling conveyor according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of th channeling conveyor according to theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view and end view of the conveyorillustrated in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the speed control drive according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. 1 thechanneling conveyor according to the invention is illustrated in aperspective view. The frame 1 having cross ribs 2 has mounted thereontwo support members 3,4. The support members 3,4 have mounted thereon acam track bed 5. The cam track bed 5 has cam follower sides 6a-i whichare stepped in pyramiding fashion and V-shaped, with the apex of theV-shaped cams adjacent the input conveyor 7 which deposits the items tobe conveyed onto the channeling conveyor.

Drive shaft 8 is rotatably mounted to the frame 1 by means 9,9 (9 notshown) and has fixed thereto sprocket wheels 10,11. Shaft 12 is fixed tothe frame 1 and has rotatably mounted thereon sprocket wheels 13,14. Alink chain carrier 15, 16 is positioned to move in a continuous loopabout the sprocket wheels, and is supported by chain guides 17, 18 inits movement about the sprocket wheels. Mounted to the chain is a pairof rods 19, 20 on which is slidably mounted a plak 21. The plak 21 hasfixed therein a forward pin 22 and a rearward pin 23. The rearward pin23 is longer than the forward pin 21 and acts as a cam follower to thecam follower sides 6 of the cam track bed. The forward pin 22 acts as asupport means for the item to be carried by the plak 21.

As shown,the cam follower pin 23 of plak 21 will follow the stepped side6h to deliver the item to position 24h. The lateral movement of the-plak21 is controlled by collars 25 which insures that the cam follower pins23 engage the side 6h and follows the V-shaped cam track to the desiredchannel output portion 24h. The following plak 26 then follows the nextcam track side 6i and will deposit an item into position 24i. The plaksare returned in a continuous loop and with the aid of the lower guides29,30, and entrance guide 31 will continue to move in a loop and engagethe associated cam tracks. Each position 24 of the output receivingmeans comprises a rotatably mounted drop guide 32a-i mounted on a shaft33. The drop guides 32 are flanked by drop guide sides 34a-k, andpositioned to catch from the plaks the items and guide themto afollowing conveyor as illustrated in the cross referenced application.These output receiving means as shown comprise 10 positions, whereas anynumber of positions are possible depending on the number of plaks andcam tracks to provide an accurate channeling of the received items.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a top view of the arrangement of FIG. 1 isillustrated. As illustrated in this figure the frame 1 and supportmembers 3,4 mount the V- shaped cam track bed 5 with the apex of theV-shape adjacent the input guide 31, and in addition return guide means29,30. The return guide means assist the return of the plaks by movingthe plaks to the center of entrance guide 31 rotating with sahft 8. Theguide 31 aids in centering and return of the plaks from the under to theover portions of the loop. Only the last plak 26 for channeling the iteminto position 24i is illustrated. Plak 26 is slidably mounted on the tworods 26a,26b. The l-I-shaped plak is made of a plastic type material andinserted in the right hand side are two pins 260,26d. The pin 26dfollows the cam follower side 6i to guide the plak into the 24i positionto deposit the carried item onto the drop guide 32i. The forward pin 26crides on top of the adjacent surface 5i of the cam track bed. The collar26e prevents the plak 26 from engaging the left side of the V-shapedtrack bed and forces the cam follower pin 26d to follow the side 6i ofthe V-shaped cam. The collar 26f also insures that the plaks lateralmovement is limited and return guide means 30 insures that the plak 26in the return loop is centered onto the entrance guide 31 to begin a newcycle.

A track bed 5 is illustrated having nine V-shaped pyramiding steppedsurfaces Sa-Si. Surfaces 5a,b,c,d are the mirror image of surfaces of5f,g,h,i, and the surface 5e sides control the position of the twomiddle plaks. As illustrated in the dashed lines, the plaks 35a35el tothe left of drop guide side 34f are the mirror image of the plaks35er-35i to the right of side 34f. The pin 36a-i heights areproportional to the stepping of the 10 track bed surfaces 5a-i. A drivebelt pulley 43 is mounted on drive shaft 11 and determines the speed ofthe plaks moving in the continuous loop.

Referring now to FIG. 3 the partial cross sectional view and end view ofFIG. 2 is illustrated. The shaft 11 is rotatably mounted by means 9 inframe 1, and has positioned thereon a sprocket wheel drive 10 for movingthe chain in the continuous loop. The cross sectional view shows the camtrack bed 5 pyramiding stepped surfaces 5a,5b,5c,5d,5e. The rod mountedplak 26 follows the V-shaped cam track side by pin 26d within the limitsestablished by collars 26e,26f. The return guide assists the return ofplak 26 (illustrated in dashed lines), to the entrance guide 31. Thechain drive is supported in the loop by chain guides l7',18,18illustrated in this figure.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the speed control drive coupled to the driveshaft 11 will be described. The pulley 40 mounted to drive shaft 41 ismoving at the same speed as the conveyor 7 which is dispensing the itemsfrom the pie molding apparatus, as disclosed in'the referencedapplication, onto the plaks. Shaft 46 has a right hand thread section46R and a left hand thread section 46L. Traveling nut 48 is located onthe right hand thread section, and traveling nut 49 is located on theleft hand thread section. The shaft 46 is coupled together by a slottedslip collar 50. The drive belt 42 tension is preset by raising collar 50to disengage the lower section 46R of screw shaft 46. Hand wheel 51 iscoupled to shaft 46L and is turned to the right or to the left to adjustthe belt tension. After the belt tension has been set, collar 50 isdropped into the locked position.

In the locked position, both the right hand thread section 46R and theleft hand thread section 46L of shaft 46 turn when the hand wheel 51 isturned. By turning the hand wheel 51 to the right or clockwise, thetraveling nut 48 moves upward and the traveling nut 49 moves downward.Both move at the same speed, so as not to change the belt tension.Turning the hand wheel 51 clockwise gives a retarding action to shaft 8in rela tion to shaft 41. Turning the hand wheel 51 counterclockwisegives an advancing action to shaft 8 in relation to shaft 41. Thistiming arrangement permits quick and precise timing between the inputconveyor 7 and the plaks on the channeling conveyor. All pulleys40,43,44,45 are timing belt pulleys, and shaft 47, mounted by mountingmeans 47a-d, is a guide shaft for traveling nuts parts 48 and 49.

In the foregoing, there was described a channeling conveyor adapted forconveying, in a preferred embodiment, pies received from an inputconveyor to a plurality of output receiving means positioned across thewidth of the channeling conveyor, each position receiving a dispensedpie in a sequential manner. A plurality of rod mounted plaks are movedin a continuous loop and a V-shaped cam track bed is positioned withinthe loop. The cam track bed has a number of stepped pyramiding V-shapedcamming surfaces on its top face and oriented with the apex of theV-shaped surfaces adjacent the input conveyor. Cam follower pins areselectively sized and located in the plaks for following predeterminedsides of the V-shaped track bed. Collars selectively positioned on therods to prevent transversal movement of the individual plaks, exceptwithin predetermined limits. A means to control the speed of the plaksis coupled to the drive shaft of said conveyor to coordinate the speedof the items inputed to the conveyor with the movement of the plaks. Thepie channeling conveyor arrangement enables the pie items to bedelivered and sequentially dispensed at its output across its width forutilization by a following coupled conveying system.

While we have described above the principles of our invention inconnection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood thatthis description is made only by way of example and not as a limitationto the scope of our invention as set forth in the objects thereof and inthe accompanying claims.

We claim:

1. The combination comprising:

a plurality of plaks, each of said plaks slidably mounted on a pair ofrods and moving in a continuous loop;

a cam track bed being positioned within said loop and having a number ofV-shaped track levels;

a plurality of pin means on each of said plaks to enable each of saidplaks to selectively follow one track level cam surface and providesequential channeling and conveying of said plaks in a continuousmanner;

return guide means positioned beneath said track bed to engage said pinmeans and cause said plaks to move toward a centering position in saidloop;

collar means positioned on said rods to limit the lateral movement ofsaid plaks;

a pair of chain links mounting said rods and driven in a continuousloop, and each chain link of said pair being mounted on a pair ofsprocket wheels, one of which is driven;

input means positioned to deposit on each of said plurality of plaks'anitem to be conveyed and dispensed across the width of said track bed;

output means comprising a plurality of drop and side guides positionedto guide each dispensed item;

entrance guide means rotatably mounted and positioned at the apex ofsaid V-shaped track bed and cooperating with said return guide means toenable the smooth and accurate movement of said plaks in a continuousloop; and 4 I synchronizing means being coupled between said drivensprocket wheel and a drive arrangement of said input means, such thatthe speed of said plaks is synchronized to match the input speed of saiditems.

2. Conveying means comprising;

a frame mounted cam track bed having V-shaped pyramiding stepped cammingsurfaces;

a plurality of plaks mounted to move in a continuous loop about saidtrack bed in a direction corresponding to said V-shaped surface; and

each of said plaks having a pair of pins positioned therein, one pinfollowing a side of a selected one camming surface and the other pinriding on said one surface,

whereby said plaks convey and dispense items in a continuous serialmanner across the width of said track bed.

3. The means of claim 2 wherein said pins are of different lengths tomatch the associated stepped camming surface.

4. The means of claim 2 including input guide means positioned fordirecting said plaks to the apex of said V-shaped surfaces.

5. The means of claim 3 wherein said track bed comprises:

a right hand portion and a mirror imaged left hand portion;

and

said plas positioned to ride on said right hand portion are the mirrorimage of said plaks riding on the left hand portion.

6. The means of claim 2 wherein each said plaks are mounted on a pair ofrods, at least one of which have a pair of collars selectivelypositioned to limit the lateral movement of each of said plaks.

7; The means of claim 2 including return guide means positioned'beneathsaid track bed and within said continuous loop to aid the return of saidplaks to an input position.

8. A pie channeling conveyor comprising:

input means centrally positioned for delivering pies to said conveyor;

a plurality of output receiving means positioned across the output ofsaid conveyor, each of said means receiving a conveyed pie in asequential manner;

means positioned between said input and output means for mounting andmoving a plurality of rod mounted plaks in a continuous loop;

a V-shaped track bed mounted within said loop, said bed having aplurality of stepped pyramiding camming surfaces on its top face andbeing oriented with the apex of said V-shaped bed adjacent said inputmeans;

a pair of cam follower means mounted in each of said plaks for engagingselected portions of said camming surfaces; and

means mounted to said rod mounted plaks to determine the lateralmovement of each of said plaks,

whereby the pies delivered to said conveyor are sequentially dispensedto said output means across the width of the conveyor.

9. The conveyor of claim 8 including means to control the speed of saidplaks in dependence on the input delivery speed of said pies.

1. The combination comprising: a plurality of plaks, each of said plaksslidably mounted on a pair of rods and moving in a continuous loop; acam track bed being positioned within said loop and having a number ofV-shaped track levels; a plurality of pin means on each of said plaks toenable each of said plaks to selectively follow one track level camsurface and provide sequential channeling and conveying of said plaks ina continuous manner; return guide means positioned beneath said trackbed to engage said pin means and cause said plaks to move toward acentering position in said loop; collar means positioned on said rods tolimit the lateral movement of said plaks; a pair of chain links mountingsaid rods and driven in a continuous loop, and each chain link of saidpair being mounted on a pair of sprocket wheels, one of which is driven;input means positioned to deposit on each of said plurality of plaks anitem to be conveyed and dispensed across the width of said track bed;output means comprising a plurality of drop and side guides positionedto guide each dispensed item; entrance guide means rotatably mounted andpositioned at the apex of said V-shaped track bed and cooperating withsaid return guide means to enable the smooth and accurate movement ofsaid plaks in a continuous loop; and synchronizing means being coupledbetween said driven sprocket wheel and a drive arrangement of said inputmeans, such that the speed of said plaks is synchronized to match theinput speed of said items.
 2. Conveying means comprising: a framemounted cam track bed having V-shaped pyramiding stepped cammingsurfaces; a plurality of plaks mounted to move in a continuous loopabout said track bed in a direction corresponding to said V-shapedsurface; and each of said plaks having a pair of pins positionedtherein, one pin following a side of a Selected one camming surface andthe other pin riding on said one surface, whereby said plaks convey anddispense items in a continuous serial manner across the width of saidtrack bed.
 3. The means of claim 2 wherein said pins are of differentlengths to match the associated stepped camming surface.
 4. The means ofclaim 2 including input guide means positioned for directing said plaksto the apex of said V-shaped surfaces.
 5. The means of claim 3 whereinsaid track bed comprises: a right hand portion and a mirror imaged lefthand portion; and said plas positioned to ride on said right handportion are the mirror image of said plaks riding on the left handportion.
 6. The means of claim 2 wherein each said plaks are mounted ona pair of rods, at least one of which have a pair of collars selectivelypositioned to limit the lateral movement of each of said plaks.
 7. Themeans of claim 2 including return guide means positioned beneath saidtrack bed and within said continuous loop to aid the return of saidplaks to an input position.
 8. A pie channeling conveyor comprising:input means centrally positioned for delivering pies to said conveyor; aplurality of output receiving means positioned across the output of saidconveyor, each of said means receiving a conveyed pie in a sequentialmanner; means positioned between said input and output means formounting and moving a plurality of rod mounted plaks in a continuousloop; a V-shaped track bed mounted within said loop, said bed having aplurality of stepped pyramiding camming surfaces on its top face andbeing oriented with the apex of said V-shaped bed adjacent said inputmeans; a pair of cam follower means mounted in each of said plaks forengaging selected portions of said camming surfaces; and means mountedto said rod mounted plaks to determine the lateral movement of each ofsaid plaks, whereby the pies delivered to said conveyor are sequentiallydispensed to said output means across the width of the conveyor.
 9. Theconveyor of claim 8 including means to control the speed of said plaksin dependence on the input delivery speed of said pies.